Eds. 1–3 read “peculiar,” and “particular” is perhaps a misprint. ↩
Swift attributes the saying to an unnamed commissioner of customs. “I will tell you a secret, which I learned many years ago from the commissioners of the customs in London: they said when any commodity appeared to be taxed above a moderate rate, the consequence was to lessen that branch of the revenue by one-half; and one of these gentlemen pleasantly told me that the mistake of parliaments on such occasions was owing to an error of computing two and two make four; whereas in the business of laying impositions, two and two never made more than one; which happens by lessening the import, and the strong temptation of running such goods as paid high duties, at least in this kingdom.” —“Answer to a Paper Called a Memorial of the Poor Inhabitants, Tradesmen and Labourers of the Kingdom of Ireland” (in Works, ed. Scott, 2nd ed., 1883, vol. vii, pp. 165–166. The saying is quoted from Swift by Hume in his Essay on the Balance of Trade, and by Lord Kames in his Sketches of the History of Man, 1774, vol. i, p. 474. ↩
Saxby, British Customs, p. 266. ↩
Eds. 1–3 read “was.” ↩
Ed. 1 reads “both upon.” ↩
Ed. 1 reads “both from.” ↩
Ed. 1 reads “and from.” ↩
Ed. 1 reads “£3,314,223 18s. 10¾d.” ↩
Ed. 1 reads “is not to expose private families to.” ↩
Eds. 1–3 read “was.” ↩
Though the duties directly imposed upon proof spirits amount only to 2s. 6d. per gallon, these added to the duties upon the low wines, from which they are distilled, amount to 3s. 10⅔d. Both low wines and proof spirits are, to prevent frauds, now rated according to what they gauge in the wash. —Smith
This note appears first in ed. 3; ed. 1 reads “2s. 6d.” in the text instead of “3s. 10⅔d.” —Cannan ↩
Political and Commercial Works, ed. Sir Charles Whitworth, 1771, vol. i, pp. 222, 223. But Davenant does not confine the effect of the existing tax to the maltster, the brewer and the retailer. The tax, he says, “which seems to be upon malt, does not lie all upon that commodity, as is vulgarly thought. For a great many different persons contribute to the payment of this duty, before it comes into the Exchequer. First, the landlord, because of the excise, is forced to let his barley land at a lower rate; and, upon the same score, the tenant must sell his barley at a less price; then the maltster bears his share, for because of the duty, he must abate something in the price of his malt, or keep it; in a proportion it likewise affects the hop merchant, the cooper, the collier, and all trades that have relation to the commodity. The retailers and brewers bear likewise a great share, whose gains of necessity will be less, because of that imposition; and, lastly, it comes heaviest of all upon the consumers.” If the duty were put upon the maltster, it would be “difficult for him to raise the price of a dear commodity a full ⅓d. at once: so that he must bear the greatest part of the burden himself, or throw it upon the farmer, by giving less for barley, which brings the tax directly upon the land of England.” ↩
Ed. 1 does not contain “it.” ↩
Ed. 1 reads “are perhaps.” ↩
Ed. 1 does not contain “all.” ↩
Ed. 1 reads “should.” ↩
Ed. 1 reads “£5,479,695 7s. 10d.” ↩
The neat produce of that year, after deducting all expenses and allowances, amounted to £4,975,652 19s. 6d. —Smith
This note appears first in ed. 2. —Cannan ↩
Memoires concernant les Droits, etc. tom. i. p. 455. —Smith
“La première branche, connue sous la dénomination de Alcavala y Cientos, consiste dans un droit qui se perçoit sur toutes les choses mobiliaires et immobiliaires qui sont vendues, échangées et négociées: ce droit qui dans le principe avoit été fixé à quatorze pour cent a été depuis réduit à six pour cent.” The rest of the information is probably from Uztariz, Theory and Practice of Commerce and Maritime Affairs, trans. by John Kippax, 1751, chap. 96, ad init. vol. ii, p. 236. “It is so very oppressive as to lay 10 percent for the primitive Alcavala, and the four 1 percents annexed to it, a duty not only chargeable on the first sale, but on every future sale of goods, I am jealous, it is one of the principal engines, that contributed to the ruin of most of our manufactures and trade. For though these duties are not charged to the full in some places, a heavy tax is paid.” —Cannan ↩
See the preceding note. Uztariz’ opinion is quoted by Lord Kames, Sketches of the History of Man, 1774, vol. i, p. 516. ↩
Ed. 1 reads “rent certain.” ↩
Ed. 1 reads “the taxes.” ↩
Ed. 1 does not contain “the traites.” ↩
These estimates seem to have been quoted in England at the time, since the Continuation of Anderson’s Commerce, under the year 1773, mentions “the calculations of the Abbé D’Expilly published about this time in
